“If you stand for nothing, you fall for everything”

We asked the community to tell us about the values and principles that guide their lives and businesses.

Adrian Bourgeois | Songwriter/producer/singer/musician

I would say the value that matters most to me across all of life, but particularly in art, is timelessness. It is a cliche that the artist is obsessed with the ephemeral and the fleeting. I hate the ephemeral and unless something has at least a fighting chance to last for a very long time, I’m reluctant to engage with it in the first place. I’m most interested the things that will at least intend to last forever, in that which transcends the era or circumstances in which it was made. I want to make music that is relevant, vibrant, challenging, and comforting today, 100 years from now, and would have been 100 years from now. I want you to be able to know nothing of the who, when or where of its creation and still be able to find yourself in it. Music is not needed. Read more>>

Aaron Dye | Early Childhood Educator & Makeup/ Skincare Enthusiast

The values or principles that matter to me most are promoting inclusivity while combating biases. This is why I only showcase brands and products that are inclusive. Read more>>

Stephanie Yu | Violinist, DJ, Music Coordinator

Integrity. I think when craft becomes career, we are tested often with our integrity both relationally and artistically. It has always been important to me to take accountability in making choices, Also integrity in the other sense of doing things well and wholly, and not half-heartedly. Read more>>

Heather Renee Wake | Actress, Writer, & Filmmaker

Never underestimate the value of fun. Fun reminds us why life is worth living. Fun turns even the most menial task into something magical. When I think of fun, I don’t only include lighthearted frivolity or humor into my definition. I also picture a certain spark that ignites your entire center and makes you feel more alive. It shows up when you’re pursuing passions or exploring curiosities, sure, but it’s also there when you are going just a little bit outside your comfort zone, when you are saying yes to a more expanded part of yourself. Read more>>

Jordan Auten | Filmmaker, Founder of Yoniswell, & Wellness Leader

This is a wonderful question. I value vulnerability, resilience, and integrity both on a personal level, as a Founder/CEO, and as a leader in a community. On a human and soul level, this relates to how I inner relate to myself, how I hear myself and my thoughts, which directly relates to how I feel about myself. Our relationship with ourselves is the number one priority because it allows us to cultivate healthy relationships with others and things. We must remember that we have relationships with people, our environment, mind, body, soul, nature, animals, and things. Having a healthy relationship with ourselves is reflected in the reality we create. Read more>>

Lissa Sandler | Inner Voice Guide and Meditation Teacher

Listening to your Inner Voice and trusting your intuitive nudges in your business and life is so important. I learned the hard way by not practicing this principle and I went through a total disconnection from my true self or in modern society terms – I went through severe burnout. Because of a variety of factors, including early childhood conditioning and then a few life altering experiences in my teens and early adulthood, I didn’t feel an Inner Voice connection at all, so I spent years looking outside myself for creativity, acceptance, support, and the right path forward. Read more>>